Descriptive combat can be tough, and even the best GMs and players occasionally fall back on "I swing at it." "You hit it." If you're having trouble keeping a fight scene interesting, roll and either introduce the new element, give a player a chance to take the action rolled, or have a bad guy take the action rolled (whichever is appropriate for the scene and the action rolled).
- Interesting Technique (A character uses a weapon in some way other than intended--throwing a sword, using a gun as a club, etc.).
- Disarm
- Indirect Attack (For example, a character shoots at the rope holding a potted plant so it will fall on his opponent's head).
- Improvised Weapon (A character causes damage with something other than a traditional weapon--throwing an opponent through a plate glass window or running over him with a piano on rollers, for example).
- Improvised Shield (At just the right moment, a character picks up or ducks behind something to avoid an attack--maybe he picks up a small table to fend off a sword attack or jumps around the corner to keep a bullet from hitting him).
- Who Put That There? (A character trips over or crashes into something--a glass door, a cat, etc.).
- Out of the Frying Pan Into The Fire (A character avoids an attack only to end up hurting himself or getting into a potentially dangerous situation--for instance, he knocks a pan of boiling water over on himself or jumps into the pen where the bad guy keeps his lion collection).
- Angry, Ineffective Bystander (A little old lady, poodle, or nerd joins the fight).
- Angry, Combat-Ready Bystander (All the noise has annoyed the next-door neighbor, who happens to be a Marine).
- Innocent Bystander
- Blinding Attack (A character tries to blind an opponent by throwing sand in his face, wrapping a curtain around his head, etc.)
- Entangle Attack (A character attempts to entangle his opponent--or gets caught up in--some ropes, nets, curtains, or other convenient prop)
- Dirty Tricks (Lots of possibilities here).
- Distraction (There's a loud noise, bright flash of light, etc. Everyone who fails a Nerve roll loses their next action due to surprise).
- Unnecessary Acrobatics (A character does some impressive jumps, flips, etc. as part of his attack).
- Environmental Hazard (A steam pipe bursts, somebody knocks over a can of something slick, something catches fire, etc.
- Hide and Seek (A character manages to elude his attacker and is hiding somewhere unexpected).
- Combo (Any character who gets a Lucky Break gets to make a second attack against the same opponent).
- We've Got Company (Allies, an unaffiliated third party, or the cops arrive).
- Insta-Kill (Any PC who rolls a Lucky Break automatically kills the GMC he's attacking, preferably in a spectacular or gruesome way).
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